Improvement in car-couplings



M. R. DELAY. Gar-Coupling.

No. 200,438. Paie njted Feb. 19, 1878.

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UNITED STATES PATENT CFFIGE.

MIOHEAL R. DELAY, OF HELENA, MONTANA TERRITORY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,438, dated February19,1878; application filed April 9, 1877.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MIGHEAL R. DELAY, of Helena, in the county of Lewisand Clarke and Territory of Montana, have invented a new and ImprovedGar- Coupling, of which the following is a specification:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a top view, shown withtop plate removed in part, of my improved car-coupling. Fig. 2 is abottom view; and Fig. 3, a side view, partly in longitudinal section, online 00 m, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The invention relates to an improved automatic car coupling of thatclass in which links with arrow-shaped heads are coupled by interiorspring-jaws of the draw-head in such a manner that the uncoupling of thecars is produced when any car jumps the track.

The draw-head is attached in such a manner to the car-bottom that theforward strain in pulling and the shock of the concussion are taken upin superior manner.

The invention will first be described in connection with the drawing,and then pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing, A represents a draw-head of the usual size and shape,that is attached to the car-bottom by a front stirrup, F, withfriction-roller a, and made to slide on a rear extending beam, A, ofwood that is mortised into the bolster of the car-frame, and attachedihereto by side plates and bolts, as shown in The rear end of thesliding draw-head A is connected, by short chains b, with bolts 61 ofthe bolster, so as to take up the strain transmitted by the forwardmotion of the drawhead when the cars are in motion.

The coupling -link B enters the tapering mouth of the draw-head, andforces, by its arrow-shaped head, the spring-acted and pivoted jaws Osidewise, so that they look on the head of the link as soon as the samehas passed back of the hooks of the jaws.

The blocks to which the jaws are pivoted, are applied by slots to across-bolt, 0, so as to slide in the draw-head, and are cushioned byspiral or other springs, e, that rest against a fixed lateral block, 0so as to take up the force of the concussion of the links and jars incoupling, giving way in proportion to the strain produced.

The link is uncoupled by a lever, D, with interior cam f, that swings inrecesses, and

bears against top shoulders of the jaws for forcing them sidewise andclear of the head of the link, so that it may be withdrawn. The head ofthe link is made with curved or tapering top and bottom sides, whichadmit the automatic uncoupling of the link as soon as the same istwisted into vertical position by any car being thrown off the track,producing the instant detaching of the car without injury to theadjoining ones.

The draw-head A is connectedto the wooden rear beam A by a cross-pin, g,that moves in a horizontal slot, g the cross-pin g sliding, by outer endnuts or heads 9 ,011 longitudinal guide-rods h, that are supported inbrackets or side frames h of the rear part of the drawhead.

Between the nuts 9 and the brackets h are interposed spiral or othercushioningsprings, h that take up the shock of the concussion of thedraw-heads in coupling as well as the strain exerted thereon when thecars are in motion. Whatever strain the springs fail to take up isassumed by the pin bearing on the wooden beam at the ends of the slot,the springs resuming their original tension when the strain is released.

The draw head and beam transmit the strain, by the connecting-chains, tothe bolster of the truck-frame, and by the connecting side straps, whichalso take up, finally, the shock of the concussion in coupling.

The link-head is perforated to admit coupling with the common draw-head.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as'new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- A car-coupling whose draw-head slides and isconnected by chains b with the bolts 61, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

7 MIOHEAL R. DELAY.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS Porn, PHIL. M. SAUNDERS.

